Marvão

Between Castelo de Vide and Portalegre, and only a few kilometres from Spain, stands the peaceful town of Marvão, on the highest crest of the Serra de São Mamede.

The hilltop village of Ammaia, as it was then known, owes its current name to the fact that it was used as a place of refuge by Ibn Marúan, a Moorish warrior, during the 9th century. The Arab domination of the area lasted for several centuries and ended when the military campaign of 1160/66 for the Reconquest of the territory resulted in yet another victory for the Christian forces led by D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal.

Geographically, Marvão is a point of natural strategic defence, marked by steep slopes to the north, south and west. Access on foot is only possible from the east, which was the direction in which the town gradually spread.

This fact did not go unnoticed by both conquerors and kings, who always took care to strengthen both the castle and its walls. It played a fundamental role in major military conflicts, including the fight between the king D. Dinis and his brother D. Afonso (1299), the Dynastic Crisis of 1383-85, the Wars for the Restoration of Independence (1640-68), the War of Spanish Succession (1704-12) and the Peninsular Wars (1807-11). Marvão’s importance was recognised when it was raised to the status of a town by D. Sancho II, in 1266. The charter was renewed in 1299, and a New Charter was granted by D. Manuel, in 1512, who left his mark on the town with the building of the Pillory and the placing of the royal coat of arms on the Town Hall.

Inside the walls are narrow streets lined with the beautiful popular houses that are typical of the Alentejo. Amidst them, it is easy to find Gothic arches, Manueline windows, wrought-iron balconies and other embellishments in the nooks and crannies of the buildings made from the local granite.

Besides the castle and the walls that no visitors to the town will ever forget, Marvão’s architectural heritage includes the Igreja de Santa Maria, a church that has been transformed into the Municipal Museum, the Igreja de Santiago, the Renaissance Capela do Espírito Santo and the Convento de Nossa Senhora da Estrela, lying outside the walls.

One of the main reasons for visiting Marvão is the beautiful view over the surrounding region. To best appreciate it, we recommend the views from the top of the castle´s high keep (Torre de Menagem) and from the Pousada de Santa Maria, luxurious hotel accommodation that has been formed through the adaptation of two of the town’s houses and also offers you a place to rest and savour the delicious regional cuisine.

The Chestnut Festival, which is held in November, is an excellent occasion for visiting the town and getting to know more about its people and the local customs.

Castelo de Vide

The castle, surrounded by the town’s white houses, dominates the surrounding landscape and is undoubtedly the first of many surprises encountered by the visitor. When seen from this high point, the Alentejo landscape is finally revealed in all of its great splendour. Small villages lost in the midst of the open countryside disappear from sight. Close by, roughly 20 km from Castelo de Vide, the hilltop town of Marvão can be seen and, a little further beyond this, it is possible to see over the Spanish border and deep into the heart of Spain itself.

On the northern slope, between the castle and the town’s fountain, are a series of narrower streets which mark out the boundaries of the historical area known as the Judiaria (Jewish Quarter). The Jewish quarter in Castelo de Vide is one of the most important examples of the Jewish presence in Portugal, dating back to the time of D. Dinis in the thirteenth century. Here is to be found one of the best preserved Jewish areas in Portugal, and for some years now it has been part of a detailed plan for the recovery and revitalisation of local buildings. This area has one of the largest and most interesting collections of architecture from the Gothic period.

The best way to appreciate the town’s peculiar mediaeval charm is to stroll at random up and down these steep, narrow streets.

But Castelo de Vide also has many other monuments that are well worth visiting. We are talking for example of the Capela do Salvador do Mundo, the oldest chapel in the region (dating from the end of the thirteenth century), whose interior is covered with panels of blue and white azulejos, or the Capela de São Roque, built in the fifteenth century and then rebuilt in the eighteenth century. But these are just two of the town’s 24 churches.

If you still have both the time and the energy, you should climb the hill on the outskirts of Castelo de Vide, where you will find the Capela de Nossa Senhora da Penha and from where you can enjoy a totally different view of the town.

Castelo de Vide has always been known for its rich natural resources, particularly its hot springs, whose waters are said to have great healing properties. Several fountains can be found here, with the Fonte da Vila and the Fonte da Mealhada being perhaps the best known. Just one word of warning, however. If you believe in popular sayings, you should perhaps bear in mind that it is believed that anybody drinking water from the Fonte da Mealhada will one day return to Castelo de Vide to get married.

Looking forward to see you!

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